The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-07-01

He said it was unouestionably an important
meeting-he thought the most important
ever held here. He saw before him bank
ers, merchants, mechanics and men of all
classes. They had not come as a matter of
amusement, but because they felt that the
times and the circumstances of affairs here
called for action and the expression OF an
honest and decided opinion. 1t beloved
lem to use words of truth and soberness,
without threats. They did not need to
threaten. The fact that so many peace
able, sensible, substantial men had taken
an interest in the matter was sufficient
without threats. (Applause). He had
lived here good many years-since '46.
He came here during the reign OF Kane
hameha Ill, and had lived under five
Kings, who had ruled under substantially
the same Constitution as we had now. In
former days it was thought that we had
liberal Constitution because those Kings
did not infringe the rights of their SUBJECTS.
But we had found out within the last few
years that our Constitution is defective,
giving too much power to the Sovereign.
1t was not altogether due to bad advice,
for he believed that the King was largely
responsible for the abuse of the rights of
the people; but he was glad to believe from
| the note received from the King that he
was prepared to turn over new leaf.
He did not think they required new Con-
stitution. Some important amendments
| to the one we had would suffice, and he
believed we should get them. People here
| were very slow to move in political matters,
| but when they did move there had got to
! be substantial reform. He came to that
| meeting as a Hawaiian, and he wanted
| such reform as would be good for the native
| and the foreigner. He did not represent
class or a clique, but he came to ask for
| that which is right and just for all.
! sEMr. Henry Warehouse spoke in Ha-
| waiian. His Hawaiian friends had heard
of the inefficiency of the constitution and
the bad management of affairs of Govern
ment. Was it right? No. A new consti-
tuition was what they wanted to remedy
the present evils. Hawaiians had no voice
in the affairs and management of the Gov
| eminent. No, none at all. That was the
reason of these resolutions. In the future
you will laud US, the sons of the land. We
| have seen the bad and the mismanage-
! nent. Let us be firm though the heavens
| fall
Mr.. r. Jay Greene said he was not
aware he had to speak, or he should have
put on better clothes. He had come right
from his work. because the boys had left
him, and he followed them. He expected
to keep right along following the boys.
The Chairman said that speech was
short, sharp and decisive.
Hon. L. A. Thurston said they had been
waiting a long time for this day, and at
last it had come. All classes were there
| English, Germans, Americans-but he
wished to represent the Hawaians. He
had lived in the country since he was a
foot high. His ancestors had come there
in the days of Karehameha 1, and had
| lived and died here. And Hawaii was
good enough for him if cleaned up and
| made honest The majority of Hawaiians
were imposed upon and had no leaders.
A great many people living here were not
brought into intimate communication with
the natives. He had spent SIX weeks
travelling through Molokai, where the COM
| munity was essentially native, and he
could say that the natives there were with
the objacts of this meeting as one man
1t might be thought by some that that let
ter from the King rendered these resolu-
| tons unnecessary. He did not think So.
| History repeated itself in Hawaii
Nei as elsewhere. During the session
of the Legislature of "a the King sent q
letter to the Assembly enjoinlng economy,
beginning with his own privy purse. There
was torchlight procession and a great
speech was presented to him. But he went
back on his word, and the appropriation
was bigger than ever before. He did the
same in '86, but it wouldn't wash then.
They remembered the Moreno trouble
There was dissatisfaction with the Cabinet
and a meeting was held similar to this,
though not as large. The King intimated
that it would be all right; there would be a
new Ministry Three cheers were given for
the ing, and there it ended He did not
thIn., that any three cheer could be pro-
posed this time ECries OF MOI And
where had it landed us2 Where we were
to-day. Many had had their business
almost entirely ruined by the mal-adTninis-
tration. And were they going to take HIM
at his word again without anything more
[Cries of NOT They meant mo" Even
a written guarantee was not sufficient
They must have radical change in the
constitution. How was it to be secured ?
We want 1T now. Some said it would be
unconstitutional unless brought about by
the Legislature. Now, the constitution
was contract between us representing the
people, and the King representing the
| throne. A contract could always be
CT gcd with the consent of both parties
The constitution was a self-imposed mat
! ter. It represented the boundaries put
upon the power of the King and the rights
of the people. If both agreed to change it
there could be no violation of rights. Ii
this opportunity were allowed to pass and
they were simply going to take change OF
Ministry, the new Ministry might be put
out next month. The only way was to
change the constitution now. Therefore
let them send back Ministry committed
to the policy of giving us new constitu-
ton This was the first, last and only re-
quest, and let it be insisted upon to the last
moment.l
Hon. Paul Isenberg said that on many
points he agreed to these resolutions, but
&C tba .au constitution, xyao oo,,